Council seeks support to spruce up city

The city council is calling on local green groups to back Edinburgh’s 2013 Britain in Bloom bid by helping to spruce up their local neighbourhood.

It’s Your Neighbourhood, run by Keep Scotland Beautiful, is a scheme that aims to bring members of the community together to make a positive change to the place they live, work or spend their leisure time. It is open to groups of all sizes who are interested in cleaning up and greening up their local area.

The initiative forms part of the Royal Horticultural Society’s Britain in Bloom competition, in which Edinburgh is competing against Bristol and the London Borough of Hillingdon in the City category.

Local community groups or businesses who enter the It’s Your Neighbourhood scheme will be mentored by assessors in an effort to improve and progress local green projects. This could be help with identifying funding sources, gardening and maintenance advice or providing access to tools.

Successful participants are presented with a certificate of achievement of either Establishing, Improving, Developing, Thriving, or Outstanding.

Lesley Hinds Ward 5 Inverleith Ward

Councillor Lesley Hinds, the city’s Environment Convener, (pictured above) said: “Edinburgh will be representing Scotland later this year in the prestigious Britain in Bloom competition and so we’re calling in all green-fingered city residents to back our bid and do their bit to spruce up their local neighbourhood.”

Derek Robertson, Chief Executive of Keep Scotland Beautiful – the independent charity which campaigns, acts and educates on a range of local, national and global environmental issues which affect people’s quality of life, said: “We would welcome any community group who is working to clean up and green up their local area in Edinburgh to register for this years’ It’s Your Neighbourhood campaign. It’s Your Neighbourhood is about giving community groups who work tirelessly year round, national recognition and support for their efforts, and currently we have over 70 groups registered from across Scotland.”

Registration for It’s Your Neighbourhood closes at the end of April. Further information can be found on the Beautiful Scotland website.

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Holyrood Bill will support families

Charities have welcomed news that three and four year old children will, for the first time in Scotland, be entitled to 600 hours of funded early learning and childcare through the Children and Young People (Scotland) Bill, published today. Third sector organisations will also receive an additional £10 million.

The Bill proposes a range of measures which also include:

  • Looked after two year olds and those with a kinship care order will receive the same entitlement as three and four year olds
  • A named person for every child and young person from birth to safeguard and support their wellbeing, working with other bodies as required
  • Providing kinship carers with more support from local authorities to increase family stability.

AileenCampbell

Minister for Children and Young People Aileen Campbell (pictured above) also announced an extra £10 million on top of the £20 million third sector fund to be shared between 45 organisations working closely with children, young people and families, as part of wider investment in prevention and early intervention. This lifts the total budget for the fund to £30 million over two years, an increase on the funding available over the previous two years.

Ms Campbell said: “There is excellent work being done across Scotland to support parents, carers, children and young people. This Bill will improve levels of care and support to children and families across the country through an increase in free and more flexible early learning and childcare from 475 to 600 hours, as well as more joined up services to support the wellbeing of all children and young people through a named person. Further measures will also add stability to kinship care arrangements. The level of investment the Scottish Government is putting into ensuring the Bill works for Scotland’s young people also demonstrates our commitment to investing in our children from the very start.

“We must also recognise the important role of the third sector in reaching out to families and children in inventive and inspirational ways, which is why I am providing an additional £10 million on top of the Third Sector Early Intervention Fund for groups working directly with children, young people and their families. The £20 million Third Sector Early Intervention Fund captured the imagination of many key organisations that work with children and young people. This additional funding means that even more organisations will be able to work with the Scottish Government and each other, as they continue to improve the lives of Scotland’s children, young people and their families.

“Together with the publication of the Children and Young People (Scotland) Bill, today is the biggest step forward so far on the path towards making Scotland the best place in the world to grow up.”

kid1Anne Houston, Chief Executive of CHILDREN 1ST, said: “The Children and Young People (Scotland) Bill has a key role to play in achieving the Scottish Government’s ambition of making Scotland the best place for children to grow up. For CHILDREN 1ST, that means a place where every child and young person has a happy, healthy, safe and secure childhood. We support the Bill’s intentions and must all now maximise the opportunity before us to achieve the Scottish Government’s vision.

“We are heartened by the proposals to provide 600 hours of flexible early learning and childcare for children in kinship care aged two and to provide a statutory definition of well-being.”

Martin Crewe, Director of Barnardo’s Scotland, said: “Barnardo’s Scotland is pleased to see the introduction of the Children and Young People (Scotland) Bill in Parliament. This Bill will be an important step forward in improving the lives of Scotland’s most vulnerable children and young people. We are particularly pleased to see more support for those young people leaving care, many of whom are not getting the help they need to make a successful transition into adulthood.

“We are looking forward to scrutinising the Bill and working with the Scottish Parliament to ensure that it delivers on the Scottish Government’s aim to make Scotland the best place in the world to bring up children.”

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A 12 week consultation on the Bill was launched in July 2012 and was accompanied by extensive stakeholder communication, including national engagement events with over 800 stakeholders and activities with nearly 2,400 children and young people.

The Children and Young People (Scotland) Bill will also increase the powers of Scotland’s Commissioner for Children and Young People as well as improving support for kinship carers, families and care leavers

Provisions relating to a ‘named person’ will:

  •  Place a duty on NHS Boards to allocate every child with a named person from birth to school age
  • Place a duty on local authorities to allocate every child with a named person until they are 18 or leave school, whichever is later.
  • Oblige all relevant authorities to share information with the named person if it is necessary to safeguard, support and promote the wellbeing of the child.

The £10 million will go towards Strategic Funding Partnerships for children and youth organisations.

The Third Sector Early Intervention Fund is managed by the BIG Lottery on behalf of the Scottish Government.

Amazing city views from Varcity North

AMAZING PANORAMIC CITY VIEWS FROM VARCITY NORTH

A great opportunity to buy apartments with stunning south-facing view taking in the Pentland Hills, the Castle and Arthur’s Seat is coming onto the market at Miller Homes Varcity North in Edinburgh.

The show apartment, a type 3 on plot 47, is a two bedroom en-suite apartment on the fourth floor of the Belford Campus and offers a spacious 750 sq ft with patio doors looking out across Edinburgh. Designed by award-winning Margarete Stewart of MS Décor, the apartment oozes stylish, sophistication and the spacious layout is finished to a high-standard, with down-lighters in the hall, living area and bathrooms.

The show apartment boasts a range of fabrics, textures, colours and accessories creating an affordable – yet out of this world – interior creating a welcoming, comfortable and modern space to entertain friends or simply relax.

The contemporary white gloss and matt walnut kitchen fitted by Symphony, with feature LED under unit lighting creates a stunning cooking space which flows into the open plan dining area, which comfortably houses a dining table and four chairs.

The master bedroom, with en-suite facility, is finished in rich caramel and chocolate tones creating an ultra-stylish sanctuary. Accents of tweed fabrics used on the bed in the form of a throw and six cushions, as well as the curtain pelmet, give the space a sumptuous feel. Views from the master bedroom take in the Forth Rail and Road bridges.

The second double bedroom ensures there’s plenty of room for guests looking to spend a weekend in the capital. The luxurious, large bathroom with three piece sanitary suite offers the perfect place to unwind after a busy day.

The spacious hall offers access to the utility room, a functional space to house the washing machine and some of the more mundane household items. There is also a sizeable storage cupboard and phone entry system.

Anne Marie Britton, Sales Director at Miller Homes Scotland East said: “Varcity North cannot be beaten on price, stylish space and the stunning views across Edinburgh available from plot 47 and others. With the south-facing outlook, the apartment captures any sunlight all day offering stunning summer evening views of the sunset reflecting off Arthur’s Seat.

“Varcity North is a thriving development of 1, 2 and 3 bedroom apartments attracting a mix of buyers including first time buyers, those who are newly single, downsizers and those buying as an investment. With open-plan living, spacious rooms and beautiful views, from the top floor apartments, Varcity North offers an extremely competitively priced opportunity to buy an apartment in Edinburgh.

“Varcity North is an ideal location for those working in town or on the periphery as it is close to all major road links in and out of the city. Each apartment has been styled to maximise space and finished to the high standards befitting a 5-star housebuilder.”

To assist house hunters to make the move, Miller Homes offers Mi Way, an equity loan scheme on selected plots, where the buyer owns 100 per cent of the home funded by an 80 per cent mortgage with the remaining 20 per cent covered by a loan.

For more information, go to www.millerhomes.co.uk or call 0800 840 8416. The sales centre is open Thursday to Monday from 11am to 6pm. Househunters can also logon via the Miller Homes’ website to book an appointment with an adviser at the development.

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Mice homes needed for rescued rodents!

The Scottish SPCA’s Edinburgh and Lothians Animal Rescue and Rehoming  Centre is seeking loving new owners for 34 domestic mice. Scotland’s animal welfare charity rescued the mice after they were found living in poor conditions.

 Twenty four of the mice, 13 males and 11 females, are ready and waiting to be rehomed while another female has just given birth to six babies, a further female is pregnant and there are two small juveniles who need more care before they will be ready to go to new homes.

Manager of the Balerno-based Centre, Diane Stewart, said, “The mice had been kept in cramped, dirty conditions and they had been allowed to breed freely resulting in multiple litters. Their previous owner was not coping so it was in the animals’ best interests for them to be signed over into our care and found suitable new homes.”

“Ideally we’d like them to be rehomed in small same-sex groups and pairs as mice are very intelligent and sociable creatures who enjoy the company of their own kind. They are very attractive with some beautiful markings and we’re sure
they’d make fantastic pets for mice lovers who have the time and commitment to care for them. We’d love to hear from anyone who can give some of our mice the second chance they deserve.”

Anyone interested in offering a pair or small group of mice a home can call the Scottish SPCA Animal Helpline on 03000 999 999 and ask to be connected to the Edinburgh Centre.

Mice.

£3000 bike theft in Newhaven Road

Police are appealing for witnesses following the theft of a high-value mountain bike. The crime happened around 4.30am on Monday (16 April) at an address in Newhaven Road, when a property was broken into and the 36-gear ISSAC hard tail bike worth £3,000 was stolen from inside.

Officers are now urging anyone who can assist with their enquiries to come forward.

The bike is described as black, with an 18-inch frame, DT Swiss 240 silver-rimmed wheels, white forks, Continental mud tyres, Shimano XTR break discs, Bon Trager carbon stem and a triple Physic Gobbie saddle.

A Police Scotland spokesman said: “Given the time at which this incident occurred, a number of residents in Newhaven Road may have been awoken by sounds of a disturbance, as those responsible gained entry to the property. Similarly, members of the public who were up and out in the area in the early hours of Monday morning may also have seen something suspicious and are asked to contact police immediately if they have information that can assist officers with their investigation.”

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Divided We Fall? Exciting forum theatre event in Leith next month

Divided We Fall event flyer

Living Together in Difficult Times …

We live in a diverse society in terms of ethnicity, class, ability and many other factors? But what do Identity, Diversity and Integration really mean? How can diverse communities such as Leith find ways to develop interconnections and build solidarity especially in the context of cuts to public services, the Welfare Reform Act and other divisive policies and influences from above?

Over the past three months a group of Leith residents and visitors have been working with Active Inquiry to develop pieces of Forum Theatre exploring these questions for this event. Forum Theatre encourages an audience to become involved by enabling them to change the action onstage!

We hope to encourage as many people as possible from many diverse groups to attend this event and enjoy the performances, food, music, exhibitions and workshops to help develop an Action Plan for moving forward.

Highlights over the two days include:

• Forum Theatre performances by local people

• Debates and Action Planning

• Jock Tamson’s Bairns exhibition and work from local groups

• Food from Out of the Blue Café and World Kitchen

• Music performances from Edinburgh’s Got Soul and Wildfire Choirs and others as part of Out of the Blue’s Bruncheon event.

• Special performance of Hotel Europa – a play exploring the effects of the European crisis with a cast from across Europe including France, Portugal, Spain, Croatia and Germany

When: Saturday 11th and Sunday 12th May 2013

Times: Saturday 11am-7pm, Sunday 12-7pm

Where: The Out of the Blue Drill Hall, 36 Dalmeny Street, Edinburgh, EH6 8RG

Cost: Free! (although donations will be appreciated!)

For catering and room capacity reasons it is essential that people book for this event. Please register and book tickets at:

dividedwefall.eventbrite.co.uk

or email

dwf@activeinquiry.co.uk

Divided We Fall event flyer

Total Craigroyston updates planned

The Total Craigroyston initiative was launched last summer and the team will be sharing what they’ve learned and achieved so far at a series of local events over the coming weeks:

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What’s it all about??

 Find out all about Total Craigroyston, what we’ve been doing over the past 6 months and where we’ve got to since we published our Road Map

The Total Craigroyston team will be in the community shop in Pennywell Road on Monday 29 April from 8.30 – 12.00 and Tuesday 30 April from 2 – 5pm

or

See our exhibition in Muirhouse Library on

Wednesday 1 May and Thursday 2 May

or

 Come to our feedback and ideas session in North Edinburgh Arts Centre

 on Fri 3 May from 10.30 – 12.00 (lunch and crèche provided)

Open to local workers and local residents

 Please book a place for the Friday session by emailing info@totalcraigroyston.co.uk or by phoning the Total Craigroyston Team at 529 3032 or 529 7054

Going Forth Together

TotalCraigroyston

Lararowicz: ‘Good employers have no interest in Government attack on rights at work’

Mark Lazarowicz MP has strongly criticised Government plans for employees to trade in basic rights at work such as statutory redundancy pay in return for shares in the business they work for.

In a Westminster speech yesterday the North and Leith MP (pictured below) said: “I am a strong supporter of employee share schemes to enable them to benefit from the growth of their company and participate in the way it is run. However, these Government plans would produce exactly the opposite result since employees would lose basic employment protection in return for shares that can always go down as well as up in value. A number of leading businesses have already said they want nothing to do with the scheme – good employers realise there are much better ways to motivate their workforce than a bribe to give up basic employment rights.”Mark_Lazarowicz[1]

The Government proposes that in return for shares in the company they work for, employees would lose the right to statutory redundancy pay, request flexible working and training, challenge unfair dismissal (apart from where this relates to anti-discrimination law) or be required to give longer notice to return from maternity or adoption leave.

Mr. Lazarowicz was the author of the Employee Share Schemes Bill which became law in 2002. That sought to encourage employee share ownership and long term involvement by them in the running of the business, but he believes these latest plans would make it easier to sack them.

The House of Lords initially voted to delete this part of the The Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Bill, with several former Conservative Ministers voting against the Government. However the Government reinserted the proposals for the Bill to be debated in the House of Commons and won yesterday’s vote. The Bill will now return to the Lords for further discussion.

Greens urge government to ensure school leavers can cook

Green MSP Alison Johnstone has urged the government to respond to a survey which shows a strong appetite among Scots for the Government to set a target to ensure all school leavers are able to cook a basic meal from scratch.

By contrast the major supermarkets, who already control three-quarters of our grocery spending, are encouraging the growth of the ready meals sector through advertising campaigns, broadcasts and billboards. The UK ready meal market, which has been at the centre of the horsemeat scandal, continues to grow at five per cent a year and is now worth £1 billion a year.

The Panelbase survey for the Scottish Greens shows 79 per cent of 1,000 Scots agreed with the need for a target for school leavers, while only 7 per cent disagreed.

Other research suggests the majority of 18-25 year olds leave home without the ability to cook a simple recipe such as Spaghetti Bolognese, with many relying on ready meals and takeaways.

Alison Johnstone, Green MSP for Lothian and spokesperson on food and education for the Scottish Greens (pictured below), said: “We have a growing problem with obesity and ready meals are nutritionally haphazard. It’s time the Scottish Government challenged the big manufacturers and retailers. The inconvenient truth about many convenience foods is they make big firms big profits while public health pays dearly.

“Curriculum for Excellence has great potential and I would urge the government to recognise the appetite there is for ensuring school leavers are able to cook. As more people question what’s in the food they’re buying due to the horsemeat scandal it’s important we establish a balanced food culture from the start.”

AlisonJohnstoneMSP

The survey, carried out online by Panelbase in March, asked:

How much do you agree or disagree with the following statement? The Scottish Government should set a target to ensure all school leavers are able to cook a basic meal from scratch.

The results were:

Agree Strongly 48%
Agree Slightly 31%
Neither Agree/Disagree 15%
Disagree Slightly 4%
Disagree Strongly 3%